Man's Best Friend
by MetallicarLove14
Summary: Sam picks up a stray puppy and brings it home with him. Needless to say, Dean isn't pleased. Can Sam persuade him to think differently or is Sam destined never to have the companion he's always wanted?


"No."

"But Dean, why can't we even _talk_ about it? Consider the possibility-"

"Because there is no possibility Sam," Dean replied as he grabbed the little bundle of fur out of his brother's arms, "We can't keep it."

Dean felt a little guilty at the stricken look on his brother's face. Honestly though, a twenty four year old should be a little more mature than this. "Sam-"

"It could be a hunting dog!" Sam exclaimed, grabbing the puppy away from his brother again as he looked into the canine's face, "Look at 'im, Dean, you're seriously telling me you don't want to keep him?"

Dean looked at the puppy. Big brown eyes stared back at him and the little critter's tale started to wag. It was a mutt, Dean knew that much just by looking at it. He had no idea what it was mixed with, just that its fur was a golden brown splotched with dark brown spots on its back, paws. Its most endearing quality, however, would probably be the brown spot that covered the puppy's face, making it look like it was hiding behind a mask.

It gave a happy yip and Dean had to fight to keep a tiny grin off his face. As a boy, he'd always wanted a dog, had begged and pleaded with John for one, but to no avail. A few years later, Sam had just started his little teenage tyraids, and he decided he wanted a dog as well. Although he had a harder time taking no for an answer.

(10 years earlier)

Sam was late getting back to the small apartment they'd rented, from school. Ever since he'd turned thirteen a year ago, he'd insisted he was old enough to walk to and from school. So Dean let him. Besides, it was his loss not getting to ride in the coolest vehicle known to man. Par none.

That said, Sam usually got home about a half hour after Dean did. Dean had been home for almost an hour and that wasn't sitting well with the older sibling.

As if in answer to Dean's questioning, the door swung open and Sam came rushing inside, his eyes staying on the door that he'd left slightly open.

"Sam where have you been?" Dean asked getting up from his spot on the couch.

"You can't get mad," Sam started as he leaned back more towards the door.

This got Dean's attention and he crossed his arms, "That all depends. What's on the other side of the door, Sammy."

"And you can't tell Dad."

"Sam-"

Dean was interrupted when he heard the distinct sound of a bark coming from behind the door Sam was effectively blocking

Dean shut his eyes and sighed, "Please tell me that's a stray."

A small grin tugged at the corner of Sam's lips as he let the animal inside, "Well he used to be..." Sam began.

"No, no, no! Don't even think it, Sam, he can't stay-"

"Come on, JJ," Sam said, ignoring his brother's protests as he led the dog further into the house, Dean following behind them. The puppy waddled behind Sam, wagging its tail enthusiastically. Sam patted the dog on its head, petting the brown fur and scratching behind its black spotted ear. It was a little boxer puppy.

"Sam you can't keep the dog, therefore, I'd advise strongly against naming him," Dean said, sounding too much like John in that instant than Sam liked, "And why JJ?"

"You see the wrinkles around his eyes?" Sam asked, and Dean nodded, "Makes him look like he's real mad, right?"

Again, Dean nodded and Sam grinned. "He looks like dad when he yells," Sam clarified, "John Junior."

Dean had to stifle a laugh, "Okay I gotta hand you that one. But Sam, come on, you know you can't keep it, dad'll never let you."

Sam rolled his eyes, "That's why we don't tell him. We'll keep him in our room, feed him leftovers from dinner."

"Dude we have pizze like, every night," Dean reminded him.

Sam shrugged, "The little guy wont know the difference."

"And when he has to use the bathroom?" Dean prompted.

"I'll sneak out the window and let him go, we're on the first floor!" Sam said.

"And when he barks, you think dad'll just think it's you with a cold?" Dean asked sarastically.

"Of course not, that's why I train him not to bark." Dean had to laugh at the ridiculousness of that.

"Please Dean, at least let me try, please?" Sam pleaded as he scooped the puppy up in his arms. And really, it wasn't fair because usually he could say no to Sam's sad, puppy eyes, but when he had an actual _puppy_ on his side making them with him, well it was just no contest.

Dean sighed, "If dad asks, I had no idea."

Sam broke into a huge grin, "Thanks Dean!"

"Don't thank me, I have no clue what you're talking about," Dean said as he started to walk away. Just as he did, the door swung open once more and John came walking in, his boots clumping on the carpet with dull thuds.

Both boys mouths dropped open. John wasn't supposed to be back until tomorrow night. And here he was, standing in the doorway holding a puppy.

"Hey boys, how was-" John stopped midsentence, noticing the bundle of fur nuzzle in Sam's arms, "What is that?"

"A dog," Sam answered, his eyes locked with his father's. Dean stayed silent, looking from John to Sam with a feeling of dread.

"Yes, I know it's a dog, Sammy, but what is it doing here?" John asked, still calmly trying to assess the situation.

"I found him..." Sam said, keeping his arms around his pet protectively.

"I understand that, Samuel, but what is it doing _here_?" John asked again, raising his voice, knowing that Sam was tactfully avoiding answering the quesiton.

"Well _he's _currently trying to sleep and you're being kind of loud-"

"SAM!" John yelled, his anger starting to boil to the surface as it often did with his youngest.

"What?" Sam snapped, his eyes never leaving John's, just challenging him, and boy did that make him angry.

"I want it gone."

"No," Sam bluntly refused.

"Samuel Winchester I am not going to tell you again to get rid of it," John growled dissaprovingly.

Sam heaved a sigh and frowned, "Dad he needs some place to stay, he doesn't have a family! He could die out on the streets."

"Then we'll take it to a shelter, but it is not staying with us," John replied through clenched teeth.

"I think you're being unreasonable!" Sam protested loudly, causing JJ's ears to perk up a little.

"I don't care what you think! You don't make the rules, I do!" John snapped angrily, grabbing the puppy from his protesting son's arms, "I'm taking the dog to one of the local shelters and that's that."

Sam clenched his jaw tightly as his dad grabbed the keys to his truck out of his pocket and prepared to walk out the door. "You suck," Sam mumbled.

John tried his best to keep his anger at bay, as he turned back to look at Sam, "Well since I suck so bad I think that this weekend would be a perfect time for some extra training, don't you?"

"Sure," Sam replied, feigning indifference.

"Oh good, me too. You've got a ten mile run tomorrow night, and it's timed so don't even think about walking any of it," John said with a fake smile.

"But I have things going on tomorrow night, you knew that!"

"Oh yeah," John replied thoughtfully, "Guess I really do suck."

With that, John and the puppy dissapeared out the door, and Sam turned on heel and walked to his and Dean's room, slamming the door shut behind him with a loud bang.

Dean watched the scene unfold before him, and waited it out quietly as he usually did when Sam and John started in on eachother. He had to admit he'd been slightly dissapointed at the turn of events, kind of liking the idea of having the little guy around. But John was right, a puppy had no place in the life of a hunter. And Sam was a hunter, the sooner he learned to accept that, the better.

(Back to the Present)

Dean was brought out of the memory as Sam set the puppy down on one of the beds, Dean's bed, and it started dancing around on the bouncy surface.

"Sam, I swear to god if that thing pees on my bed..." Dean let the threat linger and Sam looked at him.

"He won't," Sam replied casually, as he kneeled down to get eye level with the puppy, "Will you?"

As Sam started scratching him behind his ear, the dog cocked his head to the side and barked, as it wagged its tail again.

Dean could see his brother getting attached to the animal, and sighed. "Sam... we practically live in the Impala, what're we gonna do with him?"

"He'll ride along," Sam replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sam stood up straight, leaving the dog to roll around on the bed a little,. "We can't just leave him here, Dean. Do you know what happens to strays living on the streets?"

"Some one else will pick him up eventually and give him a proper home?" Dean ventured.

"Or he gets hit by a car, or starves, or dies of frostbite in the winter!" Sam started listing off and Dean held up his hand.

"Then we take him to a shelter."

Sam's scoffed, "Oh yeah, like a shelter is so much better. You should see what goes on in some of those places."

Dean was beginning to grow impatient and started kneading his brow with his fingers, "Sam, seriously-"

"Come on, Dean, let him ride with us," Sam interrupted, "We could train him and use him to track things... or something. He could be useful!"

Dean huffed and threw his hands up, "You know what, Sam? Fine. Keep the dog. Keep the stupid dog."

Sam smiled, probably having known he would win the argument all along and nodded, "You wont even know he's here, Dean, I swear."

They both turned to face the puppy as they heard a ripping sound. The puppy looked up at them innocently, one of Dean's t-shirts laying shredded in his mouth.

"I'll teach him not to do that," Sam quickly put in as Dean cast an accusatory pair of eyes towards the younger man.

Dean grumbled something about how he couldn't afford anymore freaking shirts and grabbed the fabric from the puppy's mouth.

(A few hours later)

"So where we headed?" Sam asked as he finished packing his duffel bag, and threw it over his shoulder.

"Michigan, Bobby's got a lead on a possible haunting up there," Dean replied, as he gathered the few toys they'd picked up for the puppy to stow anymore chewing on shirts.

"Kay. Come on, pup," Sam called as the little bundle of fur hopped over to Sam, following him obediently.

"You have to at least give him a name," Dean commented looking thoughtfully at the puppy.

"Oh yeah, you're right!" Sam replied, "Hm..."

"How about Slash?" Dean provided.

Sam made a face and rolled his eyes, "Dude does he _look_ like a Slash?"

"Zep!" Dean quickly suggested.

"Zep?" Sam repeated, confused.

"Short for Zeppelin," Dean announced proudly.

"No."

"What? I get say in the name, Sammy,"

"No you don't, he doesn't even like you," Sam replied.

"Yes he does!" Dean exclaimed, looking offended.

"He knows you tried to get rid of him," Sam said in a low voice, almost whispering as if the puppy would hear him.

Dean rolled his eyes, "No he does not." He squatted down next to the puppy who regarded him carefully, then barked and nipped at his hand.

Sam broke out into fits of laughter as Dean pulled back with a scowl on his face. "That was a fluke."

"Sure," Sam said with a grin, "How about Shadow?"

"Why?" Dean said, making a disgusted face.

"Cause he's got all those dark spots all over him, like a shadow," Sam replied.

"No, that's a stupid name."

Sam scoffed again, "Like Zep is much better."

"His name is Zep."

"No, it's not."

"Come on, Zep," Dean called walking out the door and the puppy started to follow Dean.

"Let's go, Shadow," Sam called, walking towards the passenger's side, and the puppy changed courses and began toddling after Sam.

"Zep!" Dean called and the dog switched courses again as it waddled to Dean.

"Shadow!"

"Zep!"

"You're confusing him!" Sam said as the puppy started to whine and Sam picked him up.

Dean rolled his eyes, "No, he's only whining cause you keep calling him the wrong name."

"How about Shep?" Sam suggest suddenly, "A cross between the two."

"Or Zadow."

Sam cocked and eyebrow and Dean laughed, "Shep it is."

Shep wagged his tail and Sam deposited him into the backseat of the Impala as he took his place in the passenger's side.

Jumping on to Sam's lap, Shep barked a few times as the Impala rumbled to life. Sam scratched his head and Shep in turn, licked his face in gratitude. Sam grinned as Shep started bouncing around in his lap.

Dean watched for a second, amused, and shook his head. He was actually kind of happy with the decision to keep Shep. It made Sam happy, it took both their minds off of things that they'd rather not have to think about, if only for the moment.

"Sam keep him still while I'm driving," Dean said as he pulled out of the parking lot, "The last thing we need is to bang up the Impala again. And I swear to god if he ruins the upholstry, better yet, if he pees on the seats-"

And Sam let Dean keep going, because he saw the underlying happiness that Dean was hiding. Dean's inner twelve year old finally got the puppy he'd always wanted.

Dean turned on the music, to a volume that was almost intolerable and Shep started whining, softly at first, and then full blown barks.

Finally, Dean turned the music down to a normal level, shooting a glare over to their new companion. Sam grinned once more, leaning back in the seat as Shep curled into his lap and settled down to sleep.

"Oh yeah," Sam said, petting Shep on his back, "We're gonna get along just fine."


End file.
